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| Berezovsky tells of 'hitman plot' | Berezovsky tells of 'hitman plot' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Exiled Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky has claimed UK intelligence officers thwarted a plot to kill him. | Exiled Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky has claimed UK intelligence officers thwarted a plot to kill him. |
| Mr Berezovsky told the BBC he had been warned about the alleged plot by sources in Russia and Scotland Yard. The police have declined to comment. | Mr Berezovsky told the BBC he had been warned about the alleged plot by sources in Russia and Scotland Yard. The police have declined to comment. |
| The Sun said a Russian hitman had been hired to execute him at a London hotel. | The Sun said a Russian hitman had been hired to execute him at a London hotel. |
| Relations between Russia and the UK are already strained in a row over the extradition of a suspect in the Alexander Litvinenko murder case. | Relations between Russia and the UK are already strained in a row over the extradition of a suspect in the Alexander Litvinenko murder case. |
| 'Business reasons' | 'Business reasons' |
| Mr Berezovsky, 61, who lives in London, told BBC Radio Five Live he had received information about the alleged plot from sources in Russia. | Mr Berezovsky, 61, who lives in London, told BBC Radio Five Live he had received information about the alleged plot from sources in Russia. |
| He said he was told that "someone who you know will come to Britain, he will try to connect to you, and when you meet him he will just kill you and will not try to hide". | He said he was told that "someone who you know will come to Britain, he will try to connect to you, and when you meet him he will just kill you and will not try to hide". |
| The killer would then say the murder was "just because of business reasons", Mr Berezovsky said. | The killer would then say the murder was "just because of business reasons", Mr Berezovsky said. |
| LUGOVOI EXTRADITION ROW Analysis: Will the spat widen? Russian media annoyed Russia-UK disputes "And in this case he will get 20 years, he will spend just 10 years in jail, he will be released, his family will be paid, he will be paid and so on," he added. | LUGOVOI EXTRADITION ROW Analysis: Will the spat widen? Russian media annoyed Russia-UK disputes "And in this case he will get 20 years, he will spend just 10 years in jail, he will be released, his family will be paid, he will be paid and so on," he added. |
| Mr Berezovsky's spokeswoman said he had been informed of the alleged plot three weeks ago and had been advised to leave the country for a week. | Mr Berezovsky's spokeswoman said he had been informed of the alleged plot three weeks ago and had been advised to leave the country for a week. |
| The Sun claims Britain's security services, MI5 and MI6, intercepted intelligence about the plot and the hitman was seized within the last two weeks. | The Sun claims Britain's security services, MI5 and MI6, intercepted intelligence about the plot and the hitman was seized within the last two weeks. |
| Neither police or security officials have commented on the allegations. | Neither police or security officials have commented on the allegations. |
| The Sun's political editor, George Pascoe-Watson, said it was not clear what had happened to the alleged hitman. | The Sun's political editor, George Pascoe-Watson, said it was not clear what had happened to the alleged hitman. |
| "The security surrounding this case is so incredibly tight because of the diplomatic ramifications that we have not yet established where he's been taken, whether or not he's been charged, what the situation is," he told BBC One's Breakfast. | "The security surrounding this case is so incredibly tight because of the diplomatic ramifications that we have not yet established where he's been taken, whether or not he's been charged, what the situation is," he told BBC One's Breakfast. |
| 'No involvement' | 'No involvement' |
| Russia's ambassador to the UK, Yuri Fedotov, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was "nothing that could confirm" the plot. | Russia's ambassador to the UK, Yuri Fedotov, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was "nothing that could confirm" the plot. |
| Asked if the Russian government was involved, he said: "It is excluded." | Asked if the Russian government was involved, he said: "It is excluded." |
| Russian views on the diplomatic row with the UKIn pictures | Russian views on the diplomatic row with the UKIn pictures |
| The claims come after Britain expelled four Russian diplomats in the escalating row over the murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. | The claims come after Britain expelled four Russian diplomats in the escalating row over the murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. |
| Moscow has refused to hand over the man suspected of the murder - Andrei Lugovoi, another former KGB agent. Mr Lugovoi denies involvement. | Moscow has refused to hand over the man suspected of the murder - Andrei Lugovoi, another former KGB agent. Mr Lugovoi denies involvement. |
| Russia says it is planning a "targeted and appropriate" response to the expulsions, adding that its constitution prevents it from extraditing its citizens to face trial in another country. | Russia says it is planning a "targeted and appropriate" response to the expulsions, adding that its constitution prevents it from extraditing its citizens to face trial in another country. |
| Mr Berezovsky, a Kremlin insider during the rule of Boris Yeltsin and who openly confesses that he is on a mission to bring down President Vladimir Putin by means of a bloodless revolution, blames Mr Putin for the murder of Mr Litvinenko, with whom he was friends. | Mr Berezovsky, a Kremlin insider during the rule of Boris Yeltsin and who openly confesses that he is on a mission to bring down President Vladimir Putin by means of a bloodless revolution, blames Mr Putin for the murder of Mr Litvinenko, with whom he was friends. |
| Mr Berezovsky has survived numerous assassination attempts and has been a wanted man in Russia, charged with fraud and political corruption, since 2001. | Mr Berezovsky has survived numerous assassination attempts and has been a wanted man in Russia, charged with fraud and political corruption, since 2001. |
| Speaking on BBC2's Newsnight on Tuesday, Mr Berezovsky urged Mr Lugovoi to submit himself for trial in a third country like Germany, Denmark or Norway. | Speaking on BBC2's Newsnight on Tuesday, Mr Berezovsky urged Mr Lugovoi to submit himself for trial in a third country like Germany, Denmark or Norway. |
| He added: "Maybe the Russian constitution is against [extradition] but Lugovoi personally, if he wants to clear the situation, he is able to travel anywhere he wants if he feels he is not guilty." | He added: "Maybe the Russian constitution is against [extradition] but Lugovoi personally, if he wants to clear the situation, he is able to travel anywhere he wants if he feels he is not guilty." |
| Mr Fedotov later told the BBC Britain's decision to halt contact with Russia's Federal Security Service would harm its fight against terror. | Mr Fedotov later told the BBC Britain's decision to halt contact with Russia's Federal Security Service would harm its fight against terror. |
| "So by stopping these contacts, the British authorities are punishing themselves," he said. | "So by stopping these contacts, the British authorities are punishing themselves," he said. |
| The Foreign Office would not confirm or deny links had been broken, saying it did not comment on "matters of security". | The Foreign Office would not confirm or deny links had been broken, saying it did not comment on "matters of security". |
| 'Death by poisoning' | 'Death by poisoning' |
| A full statement on the dispute is expected from Moscow, which has warned Britain to expect "serious consequences". | A full statement on the dispute is expected from Moscow, which has warned Britain to expect "serious consequences". |
| KEY EVENTS IN CASE 1 November 2006: Alexander Litvinenko meets Andrei Lugovoi and another Russian at a London hotel 23 November 2006: Litvinenko dies in a London hospital24 November 2006: A Litvinenko statement accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of involvement in his death. Experts say Litvinenko was poisoned 6 December 2006: UK police say they are treating the death as murder 22 May 2007: Lugovoi should be charged with Litvinenko's murder, British prosecutors say 28 May 2007: UK makes formal request for Lugovoi's extradition from Russia Full timeline of events Send us your reaction | KEY EVENTS IN CASE 1 November 2006: Alexander Litvinenko meets Andrei Lugovoi and another Russian at a London hotel 23 November 2006: Litvinenko dies in a London hospital24 November 2006: A Litvinenko statement accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of involvement in his death. Experts say Litvinenko was poisoned 6 December 2006: UK police say they are treating the death as murder 22 May 2007: Lugovoi should be charged with Litvinenko's murder, British prosecutors say 28 May 2007: UK makes formal request for Lugovoi's extradition from Russia Full timeline of events Send us your reaction |
| Mr Litvinenko died of exposure to radioactive polonium-210 in London in November 2006. | Mr Litvinenko died of exposure to radioactive polonium-210 in London in November 2006. |
| The radioactive isotope used to poison him was found in several places that Mr Lugovoi had visited in London. | The radioactive isotope used to poison him was found in several places that Mr Lugovoi had visited in London. |
| But Mr Lugovoi told Russian television that the outcome of the inquiry had been predetermined. | But Mr Lugovoi told Russian television that the outcome of the inquiry had been predetermined. |
| Under the European Convention on Extradition 1957, Russia has the right to refuse the extradition of a citizen. | Under the European Convention on Extradition 1957, Russia has the right to refuse the extradition of a citizen. |
| The UK has the right to request Mr Lugovoi be tried in Russia, but the UK's director of public prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald, has already turned down the offer. | The UK has the right to request Mr Lugovoi be tried in Russia, but the UK's director of public prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald, has already turned down the offer. |
| He recommended Mr Lugovoi be tried for murder by "deliberate poisoning". | He recommended Mr Lugovoi be tried for murder by "deliberate poisoning". |